Asma Khalid

Lauren, what are the prospects of rebuilding?

Lauren, what are the prospects of rebuilding?

Lauren, what are the prospects of rebuilding?

That is NPR's international correspondent, Lauren Frayer. Thanks so much.

That is NPR's international correspondent, Lauren Frayer. Thanks so much.

That is NPR's international correspondent, Lauren Frayer. Thanks so much.

You too. And that's Up First for Monday, December 23rd. I'm Asma Khalid. For your next listen, consider Consider This from NPR. It's been a year of high-stakes elections around the globe. About half the world's population lives in countries where elections have taken place, from India and Venezuela to the U.S. and South Africa. So what did we learn about the state of democracy?

You too. And that's Up First for Monday, December 23rd. I'm Asma Khalid. For your next listen, consider Consider This from NPR. It's been a year of high-stakes elections around the globe. About half the world's population lives in countries where elections have taken place, from India and Venezuela to the U.S. and South Africa. So what did we learn about the state of democracy?

You too. And that's Up First for Monday, December 23rd. I'm Asma Khalid. For your next listen, consider Consider This from NPR. It's been a year of high-stakes elections around the globe. About half the world's population lives in countries where elections have taken place, from India and Venezuela to the U.S. and South Africa. So what did we learn about the state of democracy?

Listen to Consider This from NPR. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Carrie Feibel, Denise Rios, Lisa Thompson, and Ali Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Budge, Nia Dumas, and Ana Perez. We get engineering support from Nisha Hainas, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

Listen to Consider This from NPR. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Carrie Feibel, Denise Rios, Lisa Thompson, and Ali Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Budge, Nia Dumas, and Ana Perez. We get engineering support from Nisha Hainas, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

Listen to Consider This from NPR. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Carrie Feibel, Denise Rios, Lisa Thompson, and Ali Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Budge, Nia Dumas, and Ana Perez. We get engineering support from Nisha Hainas, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

So it did not come as a complete surprise, but the reaction has been strong. Mona Charan is a former Republican who, a couple of weeks ago, worried about this possibility, wrote a piece for the anti-Trump publication called The Bulwark saying, President Biden, don't pardon Hunter. So I asked her what she made of the president's decision.

So it did not come as a complete surprise, but the reaction has been strong. Mona Charan is a former Republican who, a couple of weeks ago, worried about this possibility, wrote a piece for the anti-Trump publication called The Bulwark saying, President Biden, don't pardon Hunter. So I asked her what she made of the president's decision.

So it did not come as a complete surprise, but the reaction has been strong. Mona Charan is a former Republican who, a couple of weeks ago, worried about this possibility, wrote a piece for the anti-Trump publication called The Bulwark saying, President Biden, don't pardon Hunter. So I asked her what she made of the president's decision.

Biden ran on preserving democracy and the rule of law, and he was a former chair in the Senate of the Judiciary Committee. Trump has long insisted the Justice Department is being weaponized against him and his supporters. And now Biden is saying his son was unfairly targeted by the justice system. As you can imagine, Republicans were quick to criticize the president.

Biden ran on preserving democracy and the rule of law, and he was a former chair in the Senate of the Judiciary Committee. Trump has long insisted the Justice Department is being weaponized against him and his supporters. And now Biden is saying his son was unfairly targeted by the justice system. As you can imagine, Republicans were quick to criticize the president.

Biden ran on preserving democracy and the rule of law, and he was a former chair in the Senate of the Judiciary Committee. Trump has long insisted the Justice Department is being weaponized against him and his supporters. And now Biden is saying his son was unfairly targeted by the justice system. As you can imagine, Republicans were quick to criticize the president.

House Speaker Mike Johnson explicitly blamed Biden for damaging trust in the justice system.

House Speaker Mike Johnson explicitly blamed Biden for damaging trust in the justice system.